UNDP in Ukraine

Get Going! campaign marks Youth day in Kyiv

01 Jul 2014

According to the World Bank report about 10 percent of Ukrainians have a sedentary lifestyle while 6.3 percent have insufficient amount of physical activity. These numbers are even higher for the age group of 18-29 year olds. Yet, the young people represent the core of the human capital of Ukraine, and their health is important for the future of our country. Healthy lifestyle promotion should be the priority of the national development policy.

Life of youth is believed to be full of energy, health and unlimited possibilities for harmonious development. However, very often modern youth thinks that in order to stay fit one needs plenty of time and money to afford membership in expensive fitness clubs. To disperse this myth UNDP and Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine in partnership with the Street Workout movements organized a series of Get Going!events that were held on June 29 in all 10 districts of Kyiv calling thousands of Ukrainians to the nearby parks for morning exercises.

Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Dmytro Bulatov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Inita Pauloviča, Ukrainian Olympic champion Hanna Bessonova set the example by taking part in the event and called the youth to be more active and take up healthy lifestyle. The event aimed to raise awareness of youth about the benefits of healthy lifestyle and to show them how easy and fun it is to do morning exercises. Get Going! is a series of physical exercises, which can be done by anyone, regardless of age and physical state.

“Youth are a transformative force; they are creative, resourceful and enthusiastic agents of change. It is important for young people to have a healthy lifestyle and to be active participants of building new Ukraine where everyone has a voice and participates on equal terms”- said Inita Pauloviča.